Awkward Chapter 82

Shoutout to nyanmaru for the commission!

Ye Mu didn’t bring an umbrella. By the time he returned home through the winter snow, his down jacket was soaked through, and the exposed skin on his body was nearly purple from the cold.

The apartment was silent and dark. In the faint moonlight, he could see that the clock’s hands were pointing to 1 a.m., yet there were still no signs that anyone had returned.

Stiffly removing his shoes, he slowly made his way to the living room and poured himself a cup of hot water to warm his hands.

The warmth seeped through the porcelain cup, gradually thawing his numb, icy fingers, but his long fingers remained curled and tense.

Outside, the rain and snow continued to fall heavily, covering the roads in a white, icy layer. Ye Mu glanced at it, a trace of worry flickering in his eyes.

Although being stood up didn’t feel great—especially since it was their first movie date—he was clearly more concerned about Chen Mo’s safety than anything else.

After a moment of contemplation, he pulled out his phone and tried calling again. Just as he pressed the call button, he heard the sound of a key turning in the lock outside.

He looked up—it was Chen Mo.

The young man stood in the shadows with his head down, his broad back casting a dark shadow across the floor. He didn’t seem to be in a good mood, and there was an air of oppression around him.

Ye Mu frowned slightly, moving his lips to ask, “Why are you back so late?” His instincts told him something must have happened for the other to be like this.

Chen Mo glanced at him, a hint of guilt in his expression. In a hoarse voice, he asked, “Did you wait long?”

Since he hadn’t found anyone at the cinema, he had come straight home. But seeing the wet spots on Ye Mu’s coat, it was clear that he had just returned as well.

Ye Mu walked over and handed him a cup of hot water, his expression calm. “Not too long. I stopped waiting at midnight.”

Chen Mo accepted the cup with his head down, his expression partially hidden by his messy bangs. “Sorry, there was a major traffic jam on the highway, so I couldn’t make it in time.”

Ye Mu’s gaze remained on his face. “Where were you before the traffic jam? Didn’t you say you had something to do?”

Chen Mo took a sip of water, trying to downplay it. “It was nothing. I went to the old Yan family estate.”

Ye Mu’s voice was devoid of emotion. “And then?”

Chen Mo seemed lost in thought. “My funding chain was frozen unilaterally. The company’s stock price will probably plummet after the New Year.”

Ye Mu fell silent for a moment before speaking softly. “I’ll go to Song Corp tomorrow and request an advance on funds under the project’s name.”

Chen Mo wiped his face and pressed his lips together. “That’s all we can do.”

As he spoke, he took off his coat and laid back on the sofa, closing his eyes. He looked exhausted.

Ye Mu sat down beside him and said in a low voice, “Don’t be so pessimistic. The company’s profits were impressive last year, and the market outlook is promising. We won’t have trouble finding new investors.”

Chen Mo tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling as his Adam’s apple bobbed slightly. He hesitated for a moment before saying, “It’s not about that.”

Ye Mu struggled to suppress his inner discomfort, “What’s the reason?”

Chen Mo replied with a blank expression, “It’s just something else I can’t figure out.”

Ye Mu looked at him, clearly dissatisfied with the lack of detail, “Be more specific.”

Chen Mo’s eyelashes fluttered slightly as he spoke with deep, inscrutable eyes, “I’ll talk about it later.”

This clearly meant that he wasn’t ready to share at the moment.

Ye Mu lowered his gaze and didn’t press further, “Alright, it’s fine. You can tell me when you’re ready.”

Chen Mo glanced at him with dark, unreadable eyes, his expression rarely showing any conflict.

Ye Mu returned his gaze, pressing his lips together in silence. Uncertain whether it was psychological, he felt that Chen Mo’s gaze had changed; it wasn’t as resolute as before and seemed hesitant.

The large room was quiet, only the faint sounds of breathing could be heard. They both reflected each other’s images but neither broke the silence.

After a long time, Ye Mu was the first to speak, his voice carrying a nasal tone as if he were about to catch a cold, “It’s getting late, you should wash up and get some rest.”

Perhaps due to the cold wind, he had a persistent headache and felt feverish.

Chen Mo nodded slightly, his eyes dark and devoid of light, as if all the brightness had been extinguished. After a moment of silence, he replied, “Mm.”

Ye Mu’s eyes revealed a mix of complicated emotions. Not knowing what he could do to help, he leaned in and gently kissed the scar on Chen Mo’s face.

Chen Mo averted his gaze and turned his head slightly, instinctively avoiding the kiss.

Ye Mu looked surprised, a hint of astonishment in his light eyes, “What’s wrong?”

Chen Mo swallowed, not answering directly. He got up and left, “I’m a bit cold, I’ll take a hot shower.”

Ye Mu was left alone, watching as Chen Mo entered the bathroom. His pale, thin face showed a hint of confusion.

The physical discomfort combined with the throbbing pain in his head left him with little time to think. After sitting on the sofa for a while, he also went to the shower to wash up.

After the shower, he felt somewhat better, and with a few pieces of medicine to prevent a cold, he went to the bedroom.

When he laid on the bed, his eyelids were already heavy, but he still stayed awake, feeling a bit uneasy.

Chen Mo took a long time to come out of the shower, about an hour later, quietly entering the room.

For some reason, after getting into bed, he did not cuddle or hold Ye Mu as he used to. Instead, he turned his back to him, creating a distance.

Ye Mu, with wet hair clinging to his forehead, looked somewhat gloomy as he lay with his head tilted, his slender eyes shadowed.

“Did he say anything else besides freezing the funds?”

In the dark night, he couldn’t help but break the silence coldly.

Chen Mo laid in the corner, his handsome profile showing a reserved demeanor. He remained silent for a long time, not answering the question.

Ye Mu turned to lie beside him, placing a hand on Chen Mo’s lean, athletic waist, and calmly said, “I know I’ve been hiding some things from you, so I don’t expect you to tell me everything. But I hope you don’t feel too much pressure.”

Chen Mo’s eyelids drooped, and he moved away from Ye Mu’s embrace, silently moving to the edge of the bed, “I’m not under pressure, just a bit at a loss. I need some time alone to think things through.”

His voice was deep and magnetic but carried a sense of detachment and alienation.

Ye Mu bit his lip, withdrawing his hand, feeling a pang in his heart as he looked at Chen Mo’s cold back.

The room wasn’t heated, and the cold winter night felt especially harsh. Without the warmth of Chen Mo, he couldn’t stop shivering.

Chen Mo didn’t notice, as he lay at the edge of the bed, silently staring at the floor.

Ye Mu, unable to bear it any longer, got up and took an extra blanket from the closet. Wrapped in it, he felt slightly warmer.

“Beep beep”

His phone vibrated on the pillow.

With eyes feeling dry and sore, he reluctantly reached out and glanced at the message.

“Don’t be fooled, he doesn’t truly care about you.”

—Yan Chen

The blue light of the screen dimmed after a few minutes. Ye Mu stared at the short text message, feeling it was painfully glaring.

No matter what reason Yan Chen had for sending this to Ye Mu, it was filled with unshakable mockery and scorn.

Feeling distressed, perhaps driven by a desire to prove himself, he moved closer to Chen Mo, wrapping his arms around Chen Mo’s chest and attempting to rest his head against Chen Mo’s broad back.

Chen Mo’s body shifted slightly but remained detached, still resisting.

Ye Mu clung to him, his voice hoarse and pained, “It’s too cold. Let me get some warmth.”

Chen Mo remained silent, propping himself up on his elbow and handing Ye Mu a heated pad, “Hold this.”

Ye Mu’s eyelashes fluttered as he frowned, “What’s going on? Can’t you not be like this?”

Chen Mo pushed his hand away, his profile showing deep lines of contemplation, “It’s nothing, just a bit scared.”

Ye Mu was confused and asked, “Scared of what?”

Chen Mo’s brows furrowed deeply, shrouded in a fog of obscurity. He opened his mouth to speak but ultimately said nothing.

Indeed, he was scared—scared that he was the kind of shameless person who was with Ye Mu purely for personal satisfaction. Such an approach would not only waste his own life but also harm Ye Mu’s.

So, even though it might cause misunderstandings, he chose to clarify his feelings. During this time, he would avoid physical contact as much as possible. If their feelings could endure without such factors, it would prove that it was genuine affection.

Perhaps this idea was naive and foolish, but it was a responsible approach to both sides. Despite not being understood, he was stubborn and unwilling to back down easily in matters of the heart.

Ye Mu, not knowing Chen Mo’s inner thoughts, saw him fall silent again. His delicate brows knitted together in concern. After a while, he turned away, his gaze dark and unspeaking.

They lay in the same bed but without the previous intimacy, leaving only coldness and estrangement.

The quiet night and various factors led to restless insomnia.

Ye Mu rubbed his tired eyes, struggling to adjust his focus. At that moment, he really wanted to ask, “Do you regret it?”

….